In the context of the direction of travel for the overall UK-EU relationship this looks rather optimistic from the financial services sector. EU will expect to set all the terms on which access to their market is decided. ft.com/content/58e57e…
See also, and remember this isn't just about the FTA negotiation on tariffs or national treatment for services, this is about an entire framework of trade with accompanying regulations...
And no, we can't just 'go and trade elsewhere'. Nobody else is going to give the special privileges to the UK that constituent parts of US or EU get. We're on our own now, so better work out quickly what that means for what we want to achieve.
Link back also to today's reshuffle. Julian Smith one of very few ministers to understand the full complexity of Brexit as it related to his brief, for Northern Ireland. If sacked his crime will have been to succeed rather than to bumble around ineffectually. Not encouraging.
Well there we go. Understanding your brief and achieving results is not what this government wants. Particularly if it means accepting difficult political choices have to be made, rather than pretending them away. Cake remains government policy.
